Bike race may visit Ti

TICONDEROGA The largest bicycle race in North America may be coming to Ticonderoga next summer. Ticonderoga Supervisor Bob Dedrick said local officials are having talks with organizers of the Tour du Grand Montreal about hosting a stage of the seven-day race. The race, which features more than 2,000 cyclists, changes its course every year. Tentative plans call for the 2009 race to start in Quebec and follow a course through Plattsburgh to Ticonderoga in New York before returning to Quebec through Vermont. Stages vary between 45 and 70 miles a day. Dedrick said Tour du Grand Montreal officials expect to spent three days and two nights in Ticonderoga the first week of August 2009. If we can bring 2,000 to 2,400 cyclists to Ticonderoga it would be a tremendous economic opportunity, Dedrick said. About 300 of the competitors would be expected to stay in local hotels, Dedrick said, with the rest camping perhaps at the Ticonderoga Middle School. That could be a problem, though. Ticonderoga Central School plans on beginning a $23.8 million building and renovation project next summer. That could make the middle school unavailable, Dedrick said. We need the middle school to make this work, Dedrick said. Construction may be a problem. The supervisor said he has met with John McDonald, Ticonderoga Central School superintendent, to discuss the issue. Initial construction will be at the high school, Dedrick said, so its likely the middle school will be available to cyclists.